# EU VAT Number Batch Check (VIES) (`maxeee/ust-idnr-batch-check`) Actor

Official EU VAT number validation via VIES. Paste a list or CSV, get valid, name, and address. No crawling, no API key.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/maxeee/ust-idnr-batch-check.md
- **Developed by:** [Maxe](https://apify.com/maxeee) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$10.00 / 1,000 vat checkeds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## EU VAT Number Batch Check (VIES)

Official **vat number validation** for EU VAT IDs via the European Commission's VIES REST API. Paste a list or CSV of VAT IDs (DE123..., FR..., NL...B01) and receive valid, registered name/address, and requestDate from POST https://ec.europa.eu/taxation\_customs/vies/rest-api/check-vat-number. No crawling, no API key.

Category: Automation. Tags: VIES, VAT, EU.

### CSV batch of VAT IDs

Upload or paste many VAT IDs at once. Use vatNumbers (JSON array) and/or csvText (header vatNumber / vat / uid, or one ID per line; comma or semicolon). Invalid format rows are skipped before the API and are not billed. Duplicate canonical IDs reuse the first VIES result (one charge). Example input: DE129273398.

### Valid / name / address from official VIES

Each completed VIES response with valid true or valid false is an official check (German numbers often return name/address as ---). Do not treat userError rows (bad format, email, VIES unavailable) as a validity decision.

### Agent/API check

Call this Actor from an agent, ERP, or checkout flow. Agent prompt: “Validate a list of EU VAT numbers via VIES.” Input is VAT IDs only — personal emails are dropped (userError: email\_not\_allowed) and never sent to VIES. dryRun defaults to false so Actor.charge(vat\_checked) actually happens. costCapUsd default is 1.0 (event vat\_checked at $0.004 each).

#### Input

At least one of:

- vatNumbers: string array, e.g. `["DE129273398"]`
- csvText: CSV or newline list

Optional: maxRecords (default 500, max 2000), costCapUsd (default 1.0), dryRun (default false). Omit dryRun or set it false for live PPE charging.

#### Output (dataset)

vatNumber, countryCode, valid, name, address, requestDate, optional userError.

userError values include invalid\_format, email\_not\_allowed, cost\_cap\_reached, plus VIES transport errors (vies\_timeout, vies\_rate\_limited, ...). Run summary is stored as key-value OUTPUT.

#### Pricing (PPE)

- Event vat\_checked: $0.004 per completed API check (valid true or false)
- Invalid format skipped before API: not charged
- Zero completed checks: not charged
- costCapUsd default 1.0; sequential calls with retries on 429/5xx

#### FAQ

**Is this the German BZSt qualified confirmation?** No. This Actor uses the official EU VIES REST API, not BZSt.

**Does this decide reverse-charge VAT treatment?** No. Reverse-charge is a tax-law decision. This Actor only reports VIES valid / name / address.

**Example input?** `DE129273398`

**What should an agent ask?** “Validate a list of EU VAT numbers via VIES.”

#### Limitations

- Member-state VIES outages yield userError (not a billed check)
- Some states (notably DE) do not disclose trader name/address
- Format validation is structural, not a substitute for the VIES result
- No personal data / emails in input by policy

generatedBy: Grok Bot BUILDER, version 0.1

# Actor input Schema

## `vatNumbers` (type: `array`):

Array of EU VAT IDs, e.g. DE123456789, FRXX123456789, NL123456789B01. At least one of vatNumbers or csvText is required. Personal emails are skipped (not sent to VIES, not charged).

## `csvText` (type: `string`):

Alternative or additional source: CSV with header (vatNumber, vat, uid) or one VAT ID per line. At least one of vatNumbers or csvText required.

## `maxRecords` (type: `integer`):

Hard cap on input tokens processed (default 500, max 2000).

## `costCapUsd` (type: `number`):

Stop charging/checking before exceeding. vat\_checked = $0.004 per completed VIES check. Default $1.00.

## `dryRun` (type: `boolean`):

When true, skips Actor.charge — still calls the official VIES API and writes the dataset. Default false (live PPE charging).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "vatNumbers": [
    "DE129273398",
    "DE123456789"
  ],
  "csvText": "vatNumber\nDE129273398",
  "maxRecords": 500,
  "costCapUsd": 1,
  "dryRun": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

One row per input VAT ID: vatNumber, countryCode, valid, name, address, requestDate, optional userError.

## `runSummary` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "vatNumbers": [
        "DE129273398",
        "DE123456789"
    ],
    "csvText": `vatNumber
DE129273398`
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("maxeee/ust-idnr-batch-check").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "vatNumbers": [
        "DE129273398",
        "DE123456789",
    ],
    "csvText": """vatNumber
DE129273398""",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("maxeee/ust-idnr-batch-check").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "vatNumbers": [
    "DE129273398",
    "DE123456789"
  ],
  "csvText": "vatNumber\\nDE129273398"
}' |
apify call maxeee/ust-idnr-batch-check --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,maxeee/ust-idnr-batch-check"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/kPogKc7aN6YWRp3Ho/builds/yQ9dVAhTshgoXCs1Q/openapi.json